The recent 3-3 Champions League semi-final first leg between Barcelona and Inter provided numerous memorable moments. A significant highlight was Lamine Yamal`s latest impressive display, confirming his status not just as a future star, but as a leading talent in the game today.
Yamal was pivotal to Barcelona`s effective attacking play, registering four shots and creating two scoring opportunities as the home side netted three times against Inter. The 17-year-old had a brilliant moment himself, scoring a superb solo goal in the 24th minute that ignited Barcelona`s recovery after falling behind 2-0.
This performance, like many others, left onlookers stunned, including Thierry Henry. Speaking on the UEFA Champions League Today post-match show, Henry remarked, “What I witnessed tonight from Lamine Yamal… to be like that at 17 isn`t normal.” He elaborated, “I`m not just talking about his skill on the ball, but his awareness, composure, reading of the game, and even how he defends and applies pressure. It`s simply not normal. We discussed the 100 games he`s already played at this age – it`s frankly unbelievable. I`m struggling to fully process what I`m seeing, but he played with incredible drive, like a possessed man, even though technically he`s not yet an adult. It`s just not normal.”
Statistics support Henry`s assessment of Yamal`s advanced level compared to his peers. In his first 100 club appearances, he has contributed 50 goals and assists (22 goals, 28 assists). This tally is just shy of Lionel Messi`s 56 (41 goals, 15 assists) at the same point in their careers and significantly surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo`s 27 (13 goals, 14 assists). Both Ronaldo and Messi reached their 100-game milestone at an older age than Yamal, and by Yamal`s current age, Messi had played only seven games for Barcelona.
His impressive statistics are matched by his entertaining style of play, which he happily identifies as a personal trademark. Yamal stated in an interview on the UEFA Champions League Today show, “I like to play in a way that others find enjoyable.”
Yamal`s early trophy collection is equally notable. He played a crucial role in Spain`s triumph at last year`s Euros and recently contributed to Barcelona`s Copa del Rey victory. With Barcelona currently leading La Liga and still competing in the Champions League, a treble is a strong possibility, and Yamal would be a deserving recipient of further honours. He is already building a compelling case to be considered among the world`s top players, potentially filling the void as Messi and Ronaldo approach the twilight of their legendary careers.
Henry shared his perspective on the emergence of new talent: “One thing that constantly amazes me in football is you always think that no one can possibly be better than players like Messi or Ronaldo. And then Yamal appears. Then there`s a new talent in Argentina, [Franco] Mastantuono at River Plate, scoring in the derby against Boca Juniors with a free kick. That`s the beauty of football. There will likely be another player in two or three years we aren`t even talking about yet. But it`s astonishing to think about what a 17-year-old is achieving. I think I made my debut at 17. What he`s doing is simply crazy, not normal. However, it`s fantastic to witness a new potential dominant force emerging. I wish him the best and hope we don`t burden him with excessive pressure by saying he should inherit the throne or similar expectations.”
Jersey Swap Interest
Towards the end of the interview, Henry mentioned he would be attending El Clasico in Barcelona in May and hoped to acquire Yamal`s jersey for his son. Yamal was receptive but requested that Henry bring him one of his own shirts, specifying that a Barcelona or Arsenal jersey would be equally appreciated.
